UMG CEO Lucian Grainge shares advice for artists in the age of smart speakers
The CEO of the world’s largest record label has some words of wisdom to share in the ever-changing tech of the modern music industry.
The latest reports from December 2018 revealed that 66 million households in the US now have smart speakers. That’s almost double the year before when it was around 37 million. The smart speaker revolution is having an effect on the way that people listen to music.
So much so that Universal Music Group CEO and chairman Lucian Grainge is advising his artists on how to make music in the changing industry. Speaking at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Grainge says: “The amount of traffic there is with them is incredible compelling.”
He warns however that discovery can be difficult on a smart speaker, saying: “Our experience is people can’t ask for a song when they don’t know what the title is.” So he recommends that you keep your track title prominent in your lyrics to ensure you can be remembered and found.
He uses an analogy involving ‘How Much Is That Doggy In The Window’ to explain it. He explains: “If you’ve got something that is a brand, is a soundtrack, is a song where the title is in the chorus and the melodies, we’re seeing really explosive data and activity.
“That helps us in the creative process because it enables us, with the data and with consumption, to use the technology to say to the talent, you need to have something as basic as the song title… in the chorus.”
So there you have it from one of music’s highest authorities, to thrive on smart speaker music streaming make sure your catchy chorus says the track title so people can find it easily.